springer



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 T. G. SPRINGER.

PROGESS 0]? AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

No. 257,100. I v Patented Apr. 25, 1882.

N, PETERS. Phokc-Lilhcgraphur. Waihmglam DC.

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.,

(No Model.)

T. e. SPRINGER. PROCESS OP'AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

No. 257,100. Patented Apr. 25, 1882.

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1 THEODORE o. srnmenn, Or new YORK, n. Y. PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS .FOR MANUFACTURlNG GAs.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 257,100, dated April 25, 1882.

Application filed January 11,1882. (X0 niodel.) .To all whom it may concern: refractory material, whereby they are con- Beitknown that I,THEODOREG.SPRINGER, verted into a fixed gas, as more fully hereinof New York, inthc county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Process 0 and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gas; and\ 1 do hereby after set forth.

My invention further has for its objects to provide certain means i the coal or other gas-producing material may be primarily heated, before being placed in the generdeclare that the following is a full,

clear, and exact description thereof, reference ator, by-meansof the radiated heat,and thus being bad to the accompanying drawings,and further save effective heat and my invention to the letters of reference marked thereon, finally has for its objects to provide certain making a part of this specification. improvements in apparatus for carrying the Ehis invention relates to certa I improveabove processes into effect, as will more fully ments in processes and apparatus for the hereinafter appear.

manufacture of gas and it has for its objects In the methods heretofore in use for the to provide a certain improved process of proof coal-gas the coal has generduciiig gas from bituminous coal or other gasally been subyected to destructive distillation reducing material by subjecting the same in retorts heated from the outside, and as the in a large body to the direct action of heat gas can only be generated at an intense heat passing through the mass, whereby loss by rathese retorts have necessarily diation is to a great extent l, as more limited capacity,

fully hereinafter specified' to provide a cerpenetrate the whole mass and raise it to th tain improved process of producing gas from proper temperature. *ith such retorts, morebituminons coal or other gas-producing maover, a uniform temperature cannot be raised terial and water in conjunction by submitandmaintainedthrou lioutthemassofgas-protin the coal in a lar e body or mass to the ducing material, sincethe heat,beingdistributdirect action of heat uniformly distributed edfromtheoutside,\villalwaysbe greatest near throughout the mass, whereby the light by thesides oftheretorts,renderingthegeueration drocarbons will be volatilized and converter of the gas irregular and imperfect. Moreover,

while the outer portions of the coal are at a will meet and proper heat for the complete conversion of the into mixed vapors and gases and driven oii,

while the heavy hydrocarbons be combined with the mixed hydrogen ant hydrocarbons of the coal into gas, the central carbonic o ide or water-gas generated by the portions are not heated sufficiently for such decomposition of water, as more fully hereiniurpose, resulting in the formation of undeafter specified. composed vapors and tar,which pass over and have to be removed from th draulic main and washers, not only causing a loss of gas-producin g material, but rendering necessary the employment of expensive and large My invention also has for its objects to proe gas in the hyvide an improved process of producing gas from bituminous coal or other gas-producing material, in conjunction with water and the various liquid hydrocarbons, by subjecting the coal in a large body or mass to the direct acamount of labor in managing such apparatus tion of heat, whereby the light hydrocarbons and handling the waste products. Again, in are volatilized and partially decompose an the old methods of manufacturing coal-gas the carried Ofi", and in subjecting the heavy hyretorts have first to be brought to the proper drocarhons to the action of water-gas in a temperature and the coal in a cold state is innascent state in the presence of heat, wherctroduced, not only rapidly reducing the temby they are carried off and partially decoml perature, but giving an initial distillation,

which drives off a portion of the hydrocarbon in the form of vapors and tar, which is kept up until the proper temperature for the destructive distillation is reached, up to which time no fixed gas is produced,thus occupying posed, and mixing with said gases and vapors the gases and vapors generated from liquid hydrocarbons, and, finally,fixing the commingled gases and vapors by passing the same through a large body or mass of heated time and wasting material. found that in the old method of manufacturing the gas in small retorts the solid carbon, which is incapable of being volatilized and by itself converted into gas, remains in the retort in the form of coke.

Still further, it is Figure 1 represents a central vertical sectional view of my improved apparatus, and Fig. 2 a horizontal section taken on the line 00 w of Fig. 1.

waste of matemethod the undecomposed besides being a comparatively waste awn, is in an almost incoke, prod provided with a lini ed by the letterB. The said generator is provided with two compartments, 0 D, by means of an arched partition, E, of tire-brick or other suitable material, the lower chamber of which as indicat- 5 e generator, forming a conical from which rises a central column of H, wh' the central pore arched partition E. The lower compartment e combustion and generating capacity dicated in the, drawings. he partition E is provided with openings M, at suitable points,

y means of which communication is established with the lugs leading creased also, to the action of direct the combined sition of water the hydrogen necessary v bine with and carry off the solid carbonaceous 5 parts of the coal in the form of earbureted by may be introduced to the apparatus.

iogen may be furnished to. any desired exheletterRindicates aseries ofsteam-pipes ent, and by means oi the vapors and gases enextendin through thesolid masonryofthe base gases generated may be readily supg the gas By my fi'ectiveheatsaved,

- owing to the comparatively small amount n, the generators, after the charge oroughly converted into gas, can be readily heated up for a fresh charge, and in comparatively little time put into condition for successful operation. gain, in the old process the coal is never subjected to the full effective heat of the fire tb body, owing ted supply of steam may be adgenerator and permitted to pass up through the incandescent n ass of coal, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

The letter S indicates a series of provided with e covers lead space below the grate-bars of through which any debris ma and by means of wh' what may he called t ratus, for the purpose of manholes ing to the a the generator, g e removed,

f removing collections as more fully hereinafterspecibe lower part of the combustion-chamand for repairs, fied.

her and below the grate-is located below the floor 1 IIO ofa suitable building or structure, and into such lower portion extends a series of pipesor tuyeres, V, connected with a suitable blower or blast-producing apparatus, bymeans .of which a forced blast of air may be passed up through the gas-producing material, for the purpose more fully hereinafter set forth.

The letter Vt indicates a-vertical-pipe or flue extending upwardly through a portion of the solid base of the apparatus and the central column rising from the same. The said line or tube connects with an air-blastapparatus on the outside, and communicates with the combustion-chamber and generator by means of a transverse branch, X, by means of which air may be supplied to the interior of the mass of coal, so as to keep up the heat of the body thereof, and generate the necessary carbonic oxide to be burned subsequently to heat the. flxing chamber above. Above the said airtube, and leading downwardly into said column through the central column, is a flue or tube, Y, which is provided with lateral branches Z, leading into the combustion or generating chamber at a point above the gas-producing material contained therein.

The letter M, as before mentioned, indicates the openings through the arched partition separatingthe combustion or generating chamber from the fixing-chamber, and Na series of chambers formed of loosely-arranged bricks or blocks, so as to provide gasspaces above such openings, which communicate with the fixingchamberabove. These gas-spaces also communicate by means of suitable openings, 0, with an annular chamber, N, which connects by means of suitable pipes,P, with a reservoir or reservoirs containing hydrocarbon fluid. These spaces also communicate with thefiXing-chamber above, so that the hydrocarbon fluid as it is volatilized and the mixed gases from below will pass upward intotheflXing-chamber above, where they will be converted into a fixed gas by the heat stored up in the fixing-chamber, and carried off free from condensable vapors and tar.

Above the arched top of the fixing-chamber is an annular chamber, F, provided with manholes G, and suitable covers for closing the same. The said chamber is intended to contain the coal from which the gas is to be ultimately generated, and is intended to furnish a means for heating the coal, initially, so that there will be no loss of time or heat subsequently when the coal is subjected to destructive distillation in the combustion and generatin g chamber. The saidannular chamber, at suitable points, is provided with openings H, having covers 1, by means of which the coal after being heated may be dropped onto the floor below and charged into the combustion and generating chamber. For this purpose the combustion and generating chamber is provided with a series of doors, L, which are closed by means of the covers M, which may be removed and replaced for the purpose of charging said combustion-chambers with the heated coal.

The letter N indicates a series of man-holes provided with suitable covers, P by means of which access may be had to theinterior of the combustion and generating chamber, for the purpose of cleaning the same and removing clinkers and other obstructions and collections.

Theletter R indicates an annular blast-pipe, provided with tuyeres S by means of which air may be introduced at the outside of the mass of fuel through a pipe, Z, connecting with said annular pipe R The operation of my invention will be readily understood in connection with the above description, and is as follows: A tire is started in the combustion or generating chamber, and it is charged with bituminous coal or other gas-producing material, as indicated in Fig.1 of the drawings. The fire is then urged by a blastof air. introduced below the grate, creating an intense fheat, the products of combustion passing upward above the incandescent material, where they are met by fresh atmospheric air, andare wholly consumed, the heat generated bein g absorbed and stored up by the refractory material in the chamber above. As the fuel is burned out fresh fuel is supplied from the heating-chamber at the top of the generator in quantities as required. When the refractory material is heated to the proper temperaturthe air is shutoff and a current of steam is passed up through the incandescent fuel, the lower portion of which consists of coke and the upper part of bituminous coal. The coal on top, while being subjected to destructive distillation, becomes gradually coked and takes the place of the coke below, its place being supplied by fresh quantities of coal or other gas-producing material from the heating-chamber above. The carbureted hydrogen gas and undecomposed vapors pass up into the chamber above, while any heavy hydrocarbons-such as tar and the like-pass downward through the incandescent fuel and are met by the watergas resulting from the decomposition of the water, mutual decomposition taking place, forming an additional amount of illuminating-gas, which passes upward into the chamber above. As the mixed gases and vap'ors pass into the chamber above they are met by an incoming current of hydrocarbon vapor, and the whole then passes upward through the heated mass of refractory material, where they are converted into a permanent fixed gas in quantities to supply any required demand.

It will thus be seen that by means of my improved processes and apparatus the tarand condensable products, as well as the coke, are converted thoroughly into gas and no waste products occur.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The herein-described process of manufacturing gas, the same consisting in the follow ing steps, to wit: raising to incandescence a mass of carbonaceous material by a blast or current of air, producing carbonic oxide, burning the carbonic oxide bya blast or currentot air above the carbonaceous material; causing the products to pass into a mass of refractory material, and thus highly heating the same, throwing upon the mass of incandescent material carbonaceous gas-producing material sufficient when reduced to coke or charcoal to supply the amount of carbonaceous material consumed during combustion and generation of gas; raising the said mass to incandescence; decomposing steam by passing it through the incandescent material, producing water-gas, causing the water-gas to come into contact with the heavy hydrocarbons being distilled from the carbonaceous gas-producing material, and thus decomposing them and causing recomposition of the different elements; then causing all the gases and vapors distilled to pass through a mass of highly-heated refractory material, where they may be enriched with naphtha and fixed, substantially as specified.

2. The process of generating gas, which consists in subjecting bituminous coal to the direct heat, by contact, of a mass of incandescent fuel for evolving the gaseous vapor from the former, and at the same time decomposing steam by injecting it into the incandescent mass of coke or fuel, and conducting the resulting hot products, hydrogen and carbonic oxide, through the distilling mass of bituminous coal for taking up the heavy tarry vapors therefrom, carbureting the mixed gases and vapor thus formed, while hot, in a. separate chamber, and, finally, combining the carbureted mixture into a fixed gas by bringing it into contact with a mass of heated material in a separate chamber, substantially as specified.

3. The method herein described of manufacturing gas, consisting in raising to incandescence a mass of carbonaceous material by a current of air, producing carbonic oxide, then burning the carbonic oxide by a current or blast of air above the incandescent material, causing the products to pass through a mass of some refractory material, highly heating the same, then bringing in contact with the incandescent material bituminous coal or any other solid gas-making material, distilling the gases and vapors from the same bydirect heat, then causing the gases and vapors to pass through highly-heated refractory material for the purpose of fixing said gases, substantially as described.

4. The process herein described of manufacturing gas, which consists in raising to incandescence a mass of carbonaceous material by acurrent ot'air, producing carbonic oxide; then burning the carbonic oxide by a current or blast of air above the incandescent material, and conducting the hot products into and through a mass of refractory material, thus highly heating the same; then bringing in contact with the incandescent carbonaceous material bituminous coal or other solid gas making material, distilling the gases and vapors from the same by direct contact with hot coke, and at the same time decomposing steam by passing it into the heated coke, and conducting the resulting hot products through the mass of distilling coal for taking up and carrying off the heavy tarry vapors, then causing the commiugled gases and vapors to pass through the highly-heated refractory material for combining and fixing them and producing a permanent gas, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus for generating gas from coal, the combination .of the upper and lower chambers and intermediate connecting-chamber, the lower chamber being adapted to contain bituminous coal for distillation, and the upper one refractory material, to store up the heat necessary to fix the gases and vapors passing from the lower chamber, substantially as specified.

6. In combination with the lower chamber of the generator, the conical floor and the grate above the same, and the central column provided with flues for the admission of air into the said chamber, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

7. In combination with the upper and lower communicating chambers, the chambers located above the combustion and generating chamber, wherein liquid hydrocarbon is vaporized and supplied to the, gases generated bevlowin a nascent state, and an oil-supply pipe,

substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. The combination, with the generator or lower chamber, of the heating and annular coalchambcrs, located successively above the said generating-chamber, substantially as shown and described.

9. The combination of the upper and lower chambers of the generator, the steam and air induction fines or pipes, the hydrocarbon-fluid chambers, and the coal-heating chamber, the

whole being arranged to operate substantially in the manner specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 14th day of January, 1882.

T. G. SPRINGER.

\Vitnesses:

J. J. M UARTHY,

H. AUBREY TOULMIN. 

